Jump Start Question

[Art_Davis]

I am now on my third battery in our 2010 Dodge Ram 1500. On the two times I replaced the battery the symptom was a bit unusual. Turning the key would not even produce a relay click---stone cold dead. I tried on both occasions to jump start with a 'jumpit' with no luck. I even tried taking one battery terminal loose and starting with the jumpit alone, but no luck. (The jumpit was freshly recharged.)

Has anyone had this experience? In the past I have seen battery failures much less sudden, getting at least a slow crank of the engine. I am mystified by this and would appreciate any clue.

It seems that my carrying a jumpit in the truck bed is useless!

[RoyB]

Two or three years ago I started getting together items to rebuild a new battery bank. One of the items I got was a couple of these 12VDC 10WATT Solar panels...


Google image///

I started to plugin this into an always hot 12V socket in the truck that would trickle charge my Truck Start Battery...

This has really prolonged my truck start battery... Every time I look at it is at the 12.5V or so level... The charge rate is in the low MA's that will not be enough to overcharge anything...

I lay this small footprint solar panel on the inside dash where it gets sunlight most of the time... Seems to be just enough trickle charge to give my truck start battery a slow charge...

I see these small 10 WATT solar panels at the auto parts places and of course AMAZON has it as well... I leave it plugged into a always hot 12V socket that is in the back seat area. My front 12V socket is under control of the ignition key...

Roy Ken

[wa8yxm]

Ok, My Rig is a Damon Intruder on a workhorse chassis.

Symptoms. Turned key to on, Dash lights,. Turn to start all dead.

Discovery: Someone (likely Damon) used standard "Ring terminals" (Crimp on metal rings) instead of a proper LEAD battery terminal. Unlike metals do not do well in an mild acid environment and even though side terminal batteries are not supposed to have that problem... They do.

Cleaned and re-connected and Varoom (NOTE BOOST (Emergency Start) worked)

Did that 3 times before Boost did not work jumper cable off the house did.

Put in a new battery (And terminal) in 2014. been good since.

[DrewE]

It certainly could be the battery.

But do check the battery leads (both ends). Corroded wires are also a thing, and I have seen one or two that looked at first glance to be okay but were internally completely gone. Likewise, if the frame ground for the battery is not there or the battery clamps on the leads aren't working anymore, you'd have the symptoms you describe.

[dougrainer]

Brand and COST of battery will be determined for how long a battery lasts. There is a reason some batteries are a lot cheaper than others. Having a battery fail "suddenly", is NOT that rare anymore. Most common sudden failure involves the Acid plates come broken loose from the battery posts. THAT is why some jumpstarts fail to work. Also, some batteries when they have failed, actually "pull" the available jump start voltage without getting the required amount to the Starter. Doug

[Yosemite_Sam1]

jkwilson wrote:

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:

2oldman wrote:
3rd battery in 10 years is about normal.

And we are just discussing in my thread batteries lasting 12 years (In my truck and some others) and others going 20 years! LOL

Actually, my cars would have those battery lifespan of 3 to 5 years. And when they go dead, no crank, no click no nothing -- just dead.

As to the OP issue, yes, test your battery. Mine did not start when the voltage drop is considered minuscule. Reading of 12.1V.

12.1V is an enormous voltage drop. 12.65V is the lowest full charge voltage of any commonly available battery. 12.1V would be 50% state of charge.

Sorry, this is what happens when I pretend knowledge -- not knowing there is a different voltage drop math.

Thanks! We learn something everyday.

[jkwilson]

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:

2oldman wrote:
3rd battery in 10 years is about normal.

And we are just discussing in my thread batteries lasting 12 years (In my truck and some others) and others going 20 years! LOL

Actually, my cars would have those battery lifespan of 3 to 5 years. And when they go dead, no crank, no click no nothing -- just dead.

As to the OP issue, yes, test your battery. Mine did not start when the voltage drop is considered minuscule. Reading of 12.1V.

12.1V is an enormous voltage drop. 12.65V is the lowest full charge voltage of any commonly available battery. 12.1V would be 50% state of charge.

[2oldman]

fj12ryder wrote:
IMO 3 batteries in 10 years is way too many. I figure at least 5 years for a battery.

5 years per is about right, assuming his latest is new.

[fj12ryder]

Yeah, the first time that happens is really surprising. We had stopped on our way to our daughter's house and gassed up. Restarted the truck and drove on over to the house. Stayed a few minutes, went to leave, and the truck wouldn't start, no crank, no nothing. Showed about 12.0 Volts IIRC. New battery, checked the alternator and good to go. It was about a 5-6 year old battery.

IMO 3 batteries in 10 years is way too many. I figure at least 5 years for a battery. The battery in my car is 6 years old, and the one in Peggy's truck is 4 years old.

[Art_Davis]

fj12ryder wrote:
Most newish vehicles won't start, or even crank, when the voltage gets below a certain point. So basically it starts fine at 12.3 volts, but the computer says "No Way" at 12.2 volts.

I'd be checking the alternator, and/or starter. What was the voltage when the truck wouldn't start? I'm sure it wasn't "stone cold dead", you did check the voltage didn't you?

Actually, I didn't check the voltage. I didn't think the no load voltage said much about a battery---but maybe it does. Sure acted to me as though the computer just said not enough voltage and shut things down.

[ScottG]

Just replaced the 10 y/o batterys in my Dodge. They still worked but didn't like sitting in the cold very long.
I've been driving for about 43 years. In that time I have had batterys suddenly short internally on 2 occasionions in various cars. Both times they could not be jump started. The shorted battery was just too much of a load.
It kinda sounds like that's what happeded to you but that's a lot of bad batts in a short time.

[Yosemite_Sam1]

2oldman wrote:
3rd battery in 10 years is about normal.

And we are just discussing in my thread batteries lasting 12 years (In my truck and some others) and others going 20 years! LOL

Actually, my cars would have those battery lifespan of 3 to 5 years. And when they go dead, no crank, no click no nothing -- just dead.

As to the OP issue, yes, test your battery. Mine did not start when the voltage drop is considered minuscule. Reading of 12.1V.

[2oldman]

3rd battery in 10 years is about normal.

[fj12ryder]

Most newish vehicles won't start, or even crank, when the voltage gets below a certain point. So basically it starts fine at 12.3 volts, but the computer says "No Way" at 12.2 volts.

I'd be checking the alternator, and/or starter. What was the voltage when the truck wouldn't start? I'm sure it wasn't "stone cold dead", you did check the voltage didn't you?